Balboa Boat Parade

The sunset was so pretty but this picture doesn't capture it. The man we asked to take our picture had to do it three times because he kept cutting us off so this is the best we could get.

Last night we went to the Balboa 100th Christmas Boat Parade. First, we walked down the pier to Ruby's and had a delicious guacamole burger. Ruby's is one of our favorite burger places, though we don't go that often. Jared actually took me there the night he proposed, since we reconnected at that same beach a year earlier at a young single adult party (the one and only YSA activity we went to). It is always fun to go back.

Here I am in the cold but at least I have a full stomach. The picture below is of us on the ferry to get to all the beach houses for a great view of the parade. While going across the ferry, the boat parade was going on so it was as if we were in the parade for a short time. :) Not really, but we can pretend. It would be a neat tradition to take your boat out every year to participate in the parade and have a Christmas party with friends.
The beach homes were very nicely decorated. One home had a movie going on outside with a light show every seven minutes. The owner told us it takes him 6 hours to program one minute of music for the show every year. All the lights are run by a computer inside his home. He said he starts programing his lights in August and starts to put them up in October. It sounds very time-intensive but he was proud of his work as he should be.
We were really impressed with several homes and many got awards. Most homes had Christmas parties going on with elaborate catering and we wished we could be inside eating good food and staying warm. Maybe some year. A few weeks back Ethan and I went to Balboa and people were just starting to put up their lights so it was neat to see the final product.
We had a really fun night and should make this a family tradition every year. We didn't take Ethan this year though he would have loved it. We'll have to make sure we take him next year. We are grateful to the Goodmans and to Heather for making it possible for us to go out. Only four more days until Christmas! Can you believe it?